Right now, on eBay, you can buy Barbara Remington's original artworks that inspired the covers of the 1965 editions of The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings. Tolkien loathed this artwork, with its surreal touches and loose connection to his story — but over at BoingBoing, Mark Dery explains why fans loved it.

How many like me whiled away their after-school hours, in the early
'70s, mentally projecting themselves into Middle Earth with the aid of
Remington's undeniably twee yet also alien illustrations? Even now, the
uncanny power of these images hasn't completely dimmed; looking at
Remington's study for the covers, the temptation to step through the
frame, pick the low-hanging fruit of the Thing with the Pink Bulbs, and
set off down the winding road by the lake, never to return, is almost
irresistible.

So there you have it. The original artworks can be yours for a mere 25,000 pounds. Including this amazing Middle Earth travel poster!